Yesterday was the Elementary and Middle School Talent Show! The elementary grades show opened with a dramatic interpretation of “the Three Little Pigs” by the Pre-K complete with costumes and a set! We enjoyed listening to a talented 3rd grade pianist, several individual singers, cheering on an accomplished 1st grade hula hooper, and more! The talent show closed with Ms. Atchison’s first grade class and their rendition of “Iko Iko” preceded by a lesson of the songs origin. Right after the elementary show, the middle school talent show started. From a rockin’ band to classical piano pieces, there was something for everyone. We applaud you, brave students, for getting on stage and sharing your talents with everyone! The winners of the Middle school Talent Show are:

3rd place (tie) Elaine Wen and Chloe Richardson

2nd place Ananya Terala

1st place Keely Douglass.

Congratulations to the winners and a big thank you for all participants.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Sunday may have brought rain, but it didn’t keep the picnic-goers away! New Fulton Science Private School families and teachers met and mingled with current families and faculty together under the large pavilion at Wills Park Sunday evening during our End-of-School Picnic. It was a true joy to spend time with our students, teachers and parents in such an informal setting. We would like to thank all FSA teachers for the wonderful barbeque and all the parents for attending and bringing some delicious goodies and beverages. As always, the barbeque chicken was great :)

Saturday, May 18, 2013

This past weekend several Middle School students attended our end-of-the-year field trip to Orlando! Students spent Friday afternoon at Epcot discovering countries from around the globe in the World Showcase, enjoying Moroccan cuisine at the Tangierine Café, delighting in the “Illuminations:Reflections of Earth” laser and fireworks show over the World Showcase Lagoon, and finishing up with some crepes and ice cream in France.

Saturday began with the Disney Youth Education Series “Sustainable Practices in Wildlife Conservation” at the Animal Kingdom. This 3-hour program brought environmental studies lessons to life as our students gained new perspective while discovering how all people and animals are connected, and how each uniquely responds to environmental challenges. Our group studied different cultural perspectives on conservation, challenges to fossil fuels and the human development of renewable energy. Students worked together using their new knowledge to create an effective conservation action plan. Afterwards, students cooled off on “Expedition Everest” and the “Kali River Rapids” rides. They saw lions, and elephants, and flamingos (oh, my!) on the “Kilimanjaro Safari” and then enjoyed a delicious lunch in “The Rainforest Café.”

A ferry ride carried us into the afternoon at “The Magic Kingdom” where students split into groups with chaperones and explored all the different lands in the park. We came back together in the evening to watch as the sky lit up during the “Wishes” fireworks show and Disney friends continued to light up the night in the “Main Street Electrical Parade.”

Early Sunday morning the fun continued with the Disney Youth Education Series “The Evolution of Technology.” During this adventure, students came to understand the broader scope of technology and how innovation is inspired. In this 3 hour academic adventure, attraction experiences helped to demonstrate the factors that drive technology development and how mankind's challenges are being aided by these advancements. We learned about Canada during a Circle Vision 360 “O Canada!” film and experienced Mexican cuisine at “La Cantina de San Angel” for lunch. Students then flew over natural vista’s on “Soarin’,” escaped tricky trolls in the Norwegian mists on “Maelstrom,” and discovered their inner engineers as they designed and customized their own thrill ride at “The Sum of all Thrills.”

Sunday afternoon we traveled home and the fun we had was not forgotten as the students reminisced about the amazing time that was had by all. Please enjoy the memories captured in photographs below!

Thursday, May 16, 2013

This past weekend, the robotics team went to Emory Hospital for a presentation of robots in their surgery room. There was a short lecture about Da Vinci. The Da Vinci Surgical System is a robotic surgical system. It is designed to facilitate complex surgery using a minimally invasive approach, and is controlled by a surgeon from a console. The system is commonly used for prostatectomies, and increasingly for cardiac valve repair and gynecologic surgical procedures. The system costs on average slightly under $2 million.

When students arrived at the hospital, they first were required to dress in protective body suits and surgical hats for sterility purposes. Before viewing and experimenting with the Da Vinci Surgical System, students observed laparoscopic surgeries to note the differences in the traditional surgery method and the robotic surgical system. Students had a chance to practice laparoscopic surgery firsthand with Emory Hospital doctor’s guidance. They received basic training on using real surgery equipment in an actual surgery room environment. After laparoscopic surgery practice, students visited The Da Vinci!

All student were able to use The Da Vinci and perform “surgery” on a model human body. This unique opportunity to observe and experience robotic technology of the future was very inspirational to our students with aspirations to become the next great engineer or physician!

The FSAPS Robotics Team would like to thank Emory Hospital and Angelica Figueiredo White for this amazing opportunity.

This past Friday, we have received the great news that three of our students, Erin Machado, Alex Atchison, and Vikram Ruppa-Kasani received outstanding scores in the State Media Festival and qualified to compete at the International Student Media Festival. Please see the details here:

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

We have received the great news that 6th grader, Mira Mutnick, has won 1st place in the Fulton County Region and 3rd place at the State Level of 2013 Math League competition. Congratulations to Mira, her parents, and our Math Olympiad Coach Mr. Tuzen for this wonderful acheivement. Way to go!

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

This past Friday, May 3rd, Fulton Science Academy Private School celebrated their very first STEM day. FSAPS has been regarded in the past as a school with a very strong STEM-based curriculum and currently prides itself on its STEAM framework and philosophies across all grade levels. Prescribing to the idea that mathematics provides the base for their interdisciplinary educational program, teachers and administration collaborate at FSAPS to also instill a deep interest in the various fields of science and technology. Increased incorporation of various art classes has created an engaging and dynamic environment at FSAPS. The activities and events during “STEM Day” clearly demonstrated this environment that has been cultivated by both the faculty and students.

Students in 6th through 8th grade were split into small groups for more hands-on experimentation and greater individual participation in our events and workshops. Students had fun learning about “Sumobots” from the Robotics Team students and their coach. Applause could be heard all around the school as students cheered their favorite Sumobot on to victory in the arena. Mentos and Diet Coke explosions were all over the outdoor basketball court, and “angry birds” were flying through the air in the gym. Students loved using the life-size “Angry Bird Trajectory” slingshot to catapult angry birds through the air into huge stacks of boxes complete with “pigs.” Just like the popular game, knock over all the pigs before you run out of your angry birds to win!

Students competed in their grade levels in one of three different “Science Bowls.” Winning teams received prizes, but more importantly, bragging rights as the Science Bowl Champions in their grades. Mrs. Butler, the 6th and 7th grade science teacher said “The 6th grade Science Bowl was over, the Earth Science questions were finished, and the winners had been announced. With 8 minutes remaining until it was time to change events, the students begged to answer 7th grade Life Science questions just for fun! The spirit of friendly competition was in the air.”

Students in 6th through 8th grade also enjoyed rotating through some of the other events such as “Bottle Car,” “Strongest Shape,” and the “3D Printer Workshop.” Doug and Amie Blanton presented the 3D Printer they built as a family. Students learned about the CAD program and how to use the basics of design to create a three dimensional objects. After a project was designed, students observed the actual printing process. The demonstration was complete with a discussion on 3D practical applications and a happy/sad face coin final product. Amazing!

Elementary students enjoyed their own session of the “3D Printer Workshop” and an “Elementary Science Bowl,” as well. However, the overall elementary itinerary for STEM Day was designed with the younger student in mind. A visit from Ms. Frizzle (the energetic teacher from “The Magic School Bus”) guided students through a seek-and-find animal habitat classification activity. Students learned about Newton’s Three Laws of Motion through stations with a variety of hands-on experiments and building your very own balloon car! Everyone worked together to find giant painted planets hiding in the school using clues and then measured out their distance from the sun with toilet paper squares. A symmetry art activity rounded out the day’s events. Each student learned about symmetry with a video and discussion first, and then demonstrated their knowledge by drawing the missing half of an elementary teacher’s face! This was a unique math-based art activity that really produced some amazing pieces of art.

In recognition of the vital importance of STEM education for the state of Georgia’s future workforce, and its economic competitiveness and growth, Governor Deal signed a proclamation declaring May 3 the first STEM Day for the state. Fulton Science Academy Private School enjoyed their first annual STEM Day as a result of this proclamation and looks forward to even more elaborate celebrations in the years to come!